Vanderbilt eliminates ETSU from NCAA tennis tournament

NASHVILLE — Vanderbilt, the 16th-ranked tennis team in the country, beat East Tennessee State 4-0 Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The match was delayed more than an hour because of rain.

The Bucs (13-7) were making their seventh consecutive NCAA appearance and had previously beaten Alabama and Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. They figured to have a chance against a homestanding Vandy team that went 6-6 in the tough Southeastern Conference.

“The guys fought from the beginning and never stopped,” ETSU coach Yaser Zaatini said. “It was an incredibly tough match and I’m extremely proud of the effort.”